1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting toothbrush.
2. Background Art
It has long been known that regular tooth brushing is an effective way to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Today, there is a myriad of manual and motorized toothbrushes available to the consumer. Some toothbrushes are designed with specially shaped bristles that claim to provide superior cleaning capabilities, while others have specially shaped handles to more easily facilitate the cleaning of hard-to-reach areas. With regard to motorized toothbrushes, some designs emphasize the speed of the bristle movement, while others focus on the way the bristles move—i.e., rotating, oscillating, reciprocating, or some combination thereof.
Despite the obvious benefits of tooth brushing, improper tooth brushing technique can abrade tooth enamel, especially when an operator applies the toothbrush to the teeth with undo force. This is an issue whether the operator is using a motorized toothbrush or a manual toothbrush. One attempt to overcome this problem is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,291 issued to Spieler et al. on Feb. 1, 1994. Spieler et al. describes a toothbrush handle that includes a warning device that signals an operator when a certain threshold force has been exceeded. The warning signal may be visible, audible, or both. One limitation of Spieler et al. is that the acceptable force level has already been exceeded by the time the warning device alerts the operator. Thus, the operator knows that too much force is being applied only after it is too late.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a toothbrush that signals an operator prior to an unacceptably high level of force being exerted on the teeth, and one that also provides pleasing light that may be seen by the operator while using the toothbrush, thus enhancing the brushing experience.